
CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers began their third and final week of OTAs like they spent their second – without Kawann Short.
The Pro-Bowl defensive tackle suddenly stopped showing to the team’s voluntary practices last week, unsatisfied with the Panthers’ latest long-term contract offer. As expected, Short was again a no-show on Tuesday.
“Because it’s voluntary, he decided not to come,” head coach Ron Rivera said. “It’s one of those things that he’s got to decide what he wants to do, and since it’s voluntary, we’re not too concerned about it. We’ll coach who’s here.”
Short’s absence opens up snaps for first-round pick Vernon Butler, who took most of the first-team reps for a second straight Tuesday. But it’s impossible to ignore Short’s status – an unexpected snag for the Panthers, who already had an offseason’s worth of contract drama in April.
This isn’t like Josh Norman’s situation, though. The Panthers’ now former cornerback didn’t sign his franchise tag tender, so he was never under contract. Short is through 2016.
“He’s under contract, so I’m not concerned with it,” Rivera said. “The truth of the matter is, you expect him to do the mandatory things, you expect him to be where he’s supposed to be.”
And while the Panthers expect Short back for next week’s mandatory minicamp, that doesn’t mean he will be. Short may believe the message he’s trying to send is worth the $76,580 fine he’d face if he stays away.
“We understand a guy in his business,” said safety Tre Boston. “It’s fine, we’re good. He can take his time.”
Among Tuesday’s other absentees were receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who was again excused for a personal matter, and defensive end Kony Ealy, who went home sick. Because Short didn’t have to be there, his wasn’t necessarily an unexcused absence, but it certainly was noticed.
“You’d love to have everybody here, but again, this is voluntary,” Rivera said.
“The thing I appreciate – for the most part, everybody has told me what’s been going on – with the exception of one person.”
NOTES, QUOTES
–Because Devin Funchess was drafted one May after Benjamin, it’s easy to forget there’s a three-year age gap between the two receivers. Benjamin looked like a man among boys when he first came to Carolina, and in some cases he was. Funchess, on the other hand, looked like a typical rookie.
Now with a full NFL season under his belt, Funchess seems like a different guy.
“He’s light years ahead of where he was,” head coach Ron Rivera said Tuesday. “He’s confident, and he’s very comfortable in our system, and he understands it.”
Arguably the most impressive player in the three OTA practices open to the media, Funchess hasn’t just stood out with acrobatic catches and sure hands. He appears to be carrying himself differently, too.
“It’s just being more confident and comfortable and knowing where I have to be and what I have to do in it,” Funchess said.
“Everything is a lot smoother. Everything is second nature to me.”
As part of a historically strong receiver class, Benjamin destroyed Panthers’ records with 73 receptions, 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns in 2014. He wasn’t a typical rookie.
Because Funchess was, he needed time to “get it.” A nagging hamstring injury didn’t help, costing him reps in training camp and two preseason games. But something clicked after he played a season-low 10 snaps against the Colts in Week 8.
Funchess sprinted to the finish line with 24 catches for 383 yards and five touchdowns in the Panthers’ final nine regular-season games. In his previous seven games, his line was 7-90-0.
With Benjamin coming back from an ACL tear, he and Funchess are each heading into what’s only their second full seasons. And now they’re both confident and comfortable.
“It started to slow down back in the second half of the season last year,” Funchess said.
“Now it’s all just easy going.”